Description
Artist: Pablo Picasso
Title: Pablo Picasso Colombe Mate Ramie #: 77
Size: 14 3/4" x 12 1/4"
Condition, very good with a two minor knicks
Edition: xxx/400 Stamped Madoura Picasso on the under
In Pablo Picasso ceramic Colombe Mate (Mat Dove), 1948, a beautiful dove rests atop a bed of straw, framed by a border reminiscent of red clay bricks.
The dove, a universal symbol for peace, is a re-occurring subject in Picasso's works. Picasso had an artistic and personal connection to the animal as he sometimes kept them as pets. In this ceramic, Picasso depicts a fairly life-like dove, one that lacks the sharp pointed angles of abstraction that his other works sometimes display. In this piece, he pays particular attention to contrast and texture, as deep lines define each tuft and feather. The brushstrokes that make up the white feathers of the dove carry the same texture as the bed of straw, bringing a unity to the dish. The dove is stark white, standing out against the dark matte black background. The glossy finish around the edges of the piece encourages viewer interaction, shimmering to capture the light and drawing us in to this image of peace and beauty. The rectangular dish was a favorite shape of Picasso's that he explored rather early in his ceramic career and continued to experiment with. Its large size allows for a good sized canvas for decoration, the wide lip is excellent for decorative schemes, and the dish can be oriented both landscape and profile.
Picasso took advantage of all these features to push the medium to its extremes and create his ceramic masterpieces.
About Pablo Picasso
A man of unparalleled talent, Pablo Picasso was the most influential figure in the 20th-century art. With an unequivocal sense of invention, he was devoted to creating art throughout his life, crossing media with utter ease and elegance, always following his limitless imagination as the ultimate indicator of truth. Together with Georges Braque, Picasso fathered one of the most progressive art movements - Cubism, rethinking the representation of the three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface in a radical way. Inspired by the art of Africa and the Iberian peninsula, his ideas and works left a deep mark on other modernist movements, including Expressionism and Surrealism. His most famous work, the powerful “Guernica” (1937), was created in reaction to the Spanish Civil War, today celebrated as the supreme example of anti-war art. Resolute and vital throughout his life, Picasso left behind a colossal body of work of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, ceramics, costumes and stage set designs.
With a name synonymous with greatness, Picasso is considered a legend. He was infamous for his many passionate relationships with women, as well as for his charisma. With an ego to match his gift, the great artist once said about himself: “My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.' Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.”
Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga, Spain, in 1881. He lived in Paris and Mougins, France, where he died in 1973.